Werder Bremen left the MEWA Arena with a 3-2 win over Mainz 05 on Matchday 7, built on two Niclas Füllkrug penalties and a second-half strike from Ludovit Reis. Mainz responded through Anthony Caci and Lee Jae-sung but could not force an equaliser in five minutes of added time.
Werder take control early
- Füllkrug’s early foul on Danny da Costa briefly held up the start, but Bremen soon found space through Mitchell Weiser on the right.
- Arthur had a sixth-minute effort saved after Weiser’s pass, then drew a foul from Stefan Posch in the box. Füllkrug converted the penalty low to the left for 1-0.
- Mainz created set-piece pressure. Kacper Potulski and Lee had headers saved, while Chuki was denied at the other end after a Ludovit Reis pass.
- Marco Grüll won Bremen’s second penalty in the 23rd minute when Danny da Costa fouled him. Füllkrug again sent Alexander Schwolow the wrong way, placing the ball low inside the left post.
- Caci reduced the deficit in the 33rd minute. Sheraldo Becker supplied the cross and the Mainz wing-back headed in from close range.
- Phillipp Mwene, Phillip Tietz and Kacper Potulski all had further Mainz openings before half-time. Tietz’s header was saved and Becker had a late shot blocked.
Reis restores the margin
- Olivier Deman was replaced at the interval by Mick Schmetgens because of injury. Anthony Caci and Marco Grüll had both received treatment late in the first half but continued.
- Mainz resumed with intent. Chuki was stopped from close range, then Mwene had a header saved following another Caci delivery.
- Bremen survived a busy spell around the hour, including blocked efforts from Mitchell Weiser and Marco Friedl, plus a Füllkrug miss from a corner.
- Reis made it 3-1 in the 61st minute. Grüll set him up outside the area and the midfielder struck left-footed into the right side of the goal.
- Mainz answered two minutes later. Caci crossed from the left and Lee headed low into the bottom-left corner.
- Chuki suffered an injury after a challenge from Mwene and was replaced by Eren Dinkçi in the 72nd minute. Oskar Wójcik had already come on for Weiser, while Cedric Itten later replaced Füllkrug.
Mainz push until the final whistle
Mainz used their bench in search of a leveler. Ransford Königsdörffer replaced Lee, Silvan Widmer came on for Caci, and Paul Nebel and Benedict Hollerbach entered in the 85th minute. Eric Martel replaced Kaishu Sano in added time.
Amiri tested Karl Hein with a low shot in the 81st minute, while Tietz headed over twice. Bremen had their own late chances: Wójcik headed wide from Grüll’s corner, Grüll forced a low save, and Dinkçi had a stoppage-time effort blocked after Itten’s pass.
Schwolow was booked in the 94th minute as Bremen saw out successive corners. Mwene and Reis also received yellow cards during the match. Bremen held the ball in the Mainz half through the closing seconds and completed the 3-2 result.
